Specials, Introduction – elysia alpha compressor Dual-Channel Analog Mastering Compressor User Manual

Page 3

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introduction - specials

SPECIALS

introduction

TRUE EMULATION

How has the hardware been ‘translat-

ed’ into software code? Actually the

plugin is the result of a pretty long

and complicated development process... The

following provides just the basic idea:

Transferring a complex analog hardware into

digital code is not exactly trivial, especially if the

model is a completely discrete design like the

alpha compressor.

The first important task in a project like this is to

fragment the electronic circuitry into separate

functional blocks. These blocks are translated

into software step by step, after which they will

be reunited to become a functional plugin.

This first result is measured very accurately and

then compared to the hardware, which leads to

an extensive and very detailed matching pro-

cess. The work on the graphical user interface

(photography, retouching, rendering) takes

place at the same time.

The final stage is the calibration of the behav-

ior of all the controllers in order to give the

software the ‘feel’ of the real thing. Finally, the

finished code is ported to different plugin in-

terfaces (RTAS/VST/AU/TDM/AAX...) and packed

into installation routines.

OVERSAMPLING

The alpha compressor plugin ben-

efits from higher sample rates in two

ways: In the first place, it can react to

changes in the source signal faster, which is es-

pecially important if a short attack time is set.

Secondly, the generated virtual control voltage

and therefore the compression behavior of the

plugin becomes more precise because there are

more measuring points available.

The alpha compressor plugin employs the

oversampling technique in order to enjoy these

advantages even if lower sample rates are used.

This means that the basic sample rate of a proj-

ect is multiplied by a certain factor inside the

plugin without the need to set the complete

project to a higher frequency.

This method consumes a certain amount of CPU

power, but the acoustic result speaks for itself.

The plugin uses oversampling according to the

following rules:

• Project sample rate lower than 50 kHz:

4x oversampling
• Project sample rate lower than 100 kHz:

2x oversampling
• Project sample rate higher than 100 kHz:

No oversampling

MOUSEWHEEL SUPPORT

You do not necessarily have to click

and drag the controllers of the plu-

gin. Instead, try making your settings

with the alternative mousewheel control, with-

out clicking on the specific controller first!

The following shortcuts provide some further

comfort:

Fine mode

VST

Shift + mouse wheel

Ctrl/Cmd + mouse wheel

Standard position

VST

Ctrl/Cmd + mouse click

Alt + mouse click

Linear/Circular mode

VST

Alt

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